Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Sign In Skip to Content

Past professional learning materials

What is a Learning Trajectory and could it help improve your assessment practice? Exploring the AERO Learning Trajectories

Learning trajectories can help you take more focused observations of children's learning and development.

This video explores a set of Early Childhood Learning Trajectories from the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) which the VCAA helped to create.

It includes interviews with expert authors of the learning trajectories and insights from the Victorian field trials.

As more work continues on learning trajectories in Victoria and nationally, this Webinar will help you understand what they are and how they can support your practice.

View video

‘They are big, they are scary and they have cool names’ – Responding to interests or responding to learning? Making the most of your visit to the Melbourne Museum

Learn from Melbourne Museum experts how to have conversations with children about Bugs, Dinosaurs and the natural world that will activate their sense of wonder and curiosity.

These videos will also help you get the most out of an excursion to the Museum and respond to children’s learning before and afterwards.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) recognises the importance of exploration and discovery of scientific ideas, as well as opportunities to learn in different environments.

View videos

Digital technology in the early years: The importance of everyday learning opportunities to build young children’s digital technology skills

This webinar featured Professor Susan Edwards, Director of the Early Childhood Futures research program at Australian Catholic University, in conversation with Amanda Sparks (Program Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit) on the topic of how early childhood professionals can support young children’s conceptual understanding of and skill development with digital technologies.

View videos

Children’s agency: What does it mean and why is it regarded as important?

This series of 4 videos feature Dr Caroline Scott, Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Victoria University, discussing children’s agency and the idea that children can act with initiative to pursue outcomes that are both meaningful and valuable for them. Agency can play a significant role in the shaping of identity and offers us much to think about in the early learning environment and into the early years of school

View videos

A pedagogy of Inquiry to support integrated teaching and learning approaches

This on-demand webinar features Karen Hope Program Manager VCAA Early Years Unit, on the topic of how working with a pedagogy of inquiry can support integrated teaching and learning approaches. The webinar discusses how educators can weave this pedagogical approach into everyday practice and how to position children and educators as co-constructors of knowledge.

View video

‘The hands lead us to learning’: Enhancing and extending children’s fine motor development through playful learning experiences

This series of 4 videos feature Dr Anoo Bhopti discussing young children’s fine motor motor skill development. Across the series Dr Bhopti discusses the relationship between gross and fine motor skill development, provides some examples of strategies an educator could use to progress skill development in playful ways, and presents opportunities that exist in routine activities to consolidate and progress skill development. Dr Bhopti concludes the video series by highlighting the impact of fine motor skill development for all learning.

View videos

‘To play or not to play’: The role of the adult in understanding and collaborating in children’s play

Early Years Twilight Webinar, February 2022

This webinar featured Dr Sarah Young in conversation with Karen Hope (Program Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit) on the topic of the role of the adult in supporting children’s learning and development through play and how to build reciprocal relationships where children and adults are co-contributors to the creative process

View videos

Previous webinar videos

2021

Noticing the red flags for children’s learning and development: How an occupational therapy lens can support your work as an educator – A conversation with Dr Anoo Bhopti

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 2 September 2021

This webinar featured Dr Anoo Bhopti, lecturer and researcher at La Trobe University, Melbourne in conversation with Mary Holwell, (Manager VCAA Early Years Unit) on the topic of how to gain a better understanding on when to be concerned about children’s motor development and how best to support children’s motor development.

View videos

Collecting information about children using the VCAA Early Years Planning Cycle Resource

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 24 August 2021

This webinar featured Mary Holwell (Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit) in conversation with Karen Hope (Program Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit), about how the Early Years Planning Cycle Resource for the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework can be used to collect information about children’s learning and development’

View videos

The role of the Educational Leader in supporting equity and diversity in practice’: A conversation with Rhonda Livingstone – National Educational Leader, ACECQA

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 22 June 2021

This webinar featured Rhonda Livingstone (National Educational Leader, ACECQA) in conversation with Mary Holwell (VCAA Early Years Unit Manager)on the topic of how to better understand how to support all children to develop a sense of place and connection and how to explore equity and diversity to promote children’s sense of identity”

View videos

Planning for under 3’s using the Early Years Planning Cycle Resource for the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 27 May 2021

This webinar featured Mary Holwell (Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit) in conversation with Karen Hope (Program Manager, VCAA Early Years Unit), about how the Early Years Planning Cycle Resource for the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) can be used to observe, assess and respond to evidence of children's learning from birth to three years of age.

View videos

Infant thinking and theory making – connections to frameworks and documentation

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 28 April 2021

This webinar featured Dr Sandra Cheeseman (chief operating officer of the Creche and Kindergarten Association) in conversation with Karen Hope (VCAA Early Years Program Manager), about the topic of infant thinking and theory making processes.

View videos

The challenges and opportunities of digital technologies for very young children: In conversation with Dr Anne Kennedy

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 23 March 2021

Join Dr Anne Kennedy, early childhood education and care consultant, researcher, writer and advocate who, in conversation with VCAA Early Years Program Manager Karen Hope, will explore how early childhood professionals can be thoughtful, purposeful and deliberate in their use of technology with very young children.

View videos

‘But do they do anything?’: Documentation and infant pedagogy

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 15 February 2021

This webinar featured Dr Andi Salamon (Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Charles Sturt University) in conversation with VCAA Early Years Unit staff, about the topic of the skills and capabilities of young children and how to make visible their learning and development.

View videos

2020

Children’s Agency: What does it really mean and why is it regarded as important?

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 9 November 2020

This webinar featured Dr Caroline Scott (Victoria University) in conversation with Catharine Hydon (VCAA Board Member and early childhood consultant), about the topic of children’s agency, including what it means and why it is important for children’s learning and development.

View videos

The Early Years Planning Cycle as part of everyday practice

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 12 October 2020

This video features Catharine Hydon (VCAA Board member), in conversation with Mary Holwell (VCAA Early Years Unit Manager) and Dr Caroline Cohrssen (Honorary [Professorial Fellow] Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne and Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong), about the Early Years Planning Cycle Resource for the VEYLDF.

These videos were produced using the original webinar recording through Webex Events. When viewing the videos, please note that there are rare occasions where some words are inaudible, due to technical issues via international connection from Hong Kong for one of our panelists.

View videos

Literature Review & Practice Guide: VEYLDF Learning & Development Outcome Children are connected with and contribute to their world

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 8 September 2020

This webinar featured Catharine Hydon, early childhood consultant and VCAA Board Member, in conversation with Kate Noble (Mitchell Institute) and Pru Mitchell (Australian Council for Educational Research), about two new VCAA early years resources to support the VEYLDF Learning and Development Outcome Children are connected with and contribute to their world.

View videos

Literature Review & Practice Guide: VEYLDF Learning & Development Outcome Children have a strong sense of identity

Early Years Twilight Webinar, 22 July 2020

This webinar featured Catharine Hydon, early childhood consultant and VCAA Board Member, in conversation with Dr Jen Jackson (Mitchell Institute) and Danielle Anzai (ACER), about two new VCAA resources to support the VEYLDF Learning and Development Outcome Children have a strong sense of identity.

View videos

2019

Exploring the Swedish context of engagement in early childhood education and care

Early Years Twilight Seminar, The Bastow Institute of Education Leadership, 14 August 2019

This seminar featured Professor Susanne Garvis, University of Gothenburg, and a guest professor at Stockholm University, Sweden in conversation with Darlene Leach, Manager of the Early Learning Unit, Department of Education and Training.

View videos

Assessment of children as confident and involved learners

Early Years Twilight Seminar, The Bastow Institute of Education Leadership, 15 May 2019

This seminar launched the VCAA resource, Assessment of Children as Confident and Involved Learners in Early Childhood Education and Care: Literature Review. This literature review, led by Dr Jen Jackson (Mitchell Institute) and Dr Dan Cloney (ACER), sets out, in the context of the VEYLDF Learning Outcome:

View videos